A Weymouth youth club has been donated almost £40,000 by BBC Children in Need.

STEPS youth club on Chickerell Road has been awarded £37,320 over a three-year period from the scheme.

The grant is from the new Core Costs grant programme and will help the charity to meet their ongoing costs and to continue to provide a range of opportunities and support for young people

Principal Youth Worker Tom Lane said: “Around 250 different young people participate in activities at STEPS each year and this funding will help us to survive and to develop the range of provision on offer.

“STEPS provides a range of developmental activities, projects and support for teenagers as well as a home for community groups enabling young people to participate in activities like dance and football.  We are also home to Dorset Abilities Group and the Space Youth Project.

 “I always describe our work as educational, developmental, and preventative, enabling young people to gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence necessary for them to make positive choices and to thrive.  You have to reach high standards to obtain Children in Need funding, so we see the grant as recognition of the value and quality of our work.”

The funding will help make a difference to the lives of children and young people - especially those facing disadvantage.

BBC Children in Need Impact Officer for the South West, Louise Gifford, said: “BBC Children in Need is proud to be providing funding to STEPS Club for Young People.

“New funding will go to support the project’s core costs and enable the club to deliver even more opportunities for young people living in Weymouth.”

The STEPS Youth Music Project in Weymouth has also recently received a grant of £29,378 over a two year period from the Youth Music ‘Trailblazer’ fund.

The project is now set to offer an array of music workshops, taster days and other events, with plans to engage more than 400 young people aged 13-19, which includes both people with and without musical experience.

Activities will include learning to play instruments, DJ skill workshops, singing and vocal workshops, lyric writing workshops and more.